Pathetic Actor
by Japanese and Chocolate
Summary: Will deals with the aftermath of 'Haunted'. H/J, probably one-side H/W


**Prompt 234 – Stonewalled – Pathetic Actor – Sarbear12456 – Sanctuary**

**Title:** Pathetic Actor  
**Fandom:** Santuary  
**Prompt:** Stonewalled  
**Warnings:** For me, this is surprisingly understated. So, warnings for lack of melodrama.**  
Rating:** PG  
**Summary:** Will deals with the aftermath of 'Haunted'.

She stood there, not moving, not speaking, for several minutes. As a result of her inaction, everyone else in the room also remained stationary. Waiting for some signal what to do. She straightened and turned to find everyone watching her, no-one willing to test the murky waters of emotion in the aftermath Magnus's relationship with the man who had just disappeared. Everyone was greatly relieved, therefore when she started to give them orders.

"Henry, I would like you to go through _all_ systems and ensure that the creature has truly gone." There was no hesitance as she spoke of the being that had ruined her life. "I would also like you to organise for any necessary repairs." He nodded then fled the room and the emotional tension contained within.

She turned to Kate and Biggie. "If you're unharmed, I'd like you two to check on the abnormals. Make sure none have escaped or been injured. You may have to soothe a few jarred nerves."

"On it." Kate said, before joining Henry in his retreat. The bug guy lingered longer, worry about her clear in his body language and expression. The reassuring expression she gave him, while not entirely convincing, was enough that he felt the matter could be left for later.

Finally, she addressed him. "Will…" he held up his slightly burned hands. "Come with me. I'll tend to your injuries once I have ensured Musa is well." Together they left the central lab for the infirmary.

He followed in uncharacteristic silence, mentally cataloguing her tells, preparing what he was going to say to her. He found he was unsure how to approach the matter, having counselled abnormals for the better part of two years, he found interacting with normal people the challenge now. He was unsure how long ago he had been classifying Helen Magnus as normal. As she tended his injuries, she asked how he had sustained them. "I don't know. Might have been the heated air vents, or maybe when I cut the power."

"I see." She continued to work silently.

"Helen, there was no way you could have known…"

"I know that. The concepts of electrical lighting and heating was a novelty in our time, let alone electrical beings." _Our time._ Not 'My time', but _our time._

"Still it must be hard knowing…"

"That he was an innocent man subjected to the will of the another, no doubt suffering greatly himself?"

"Yeah.." He sought out a way to make her react, vent some of the emotions she bottled up like her medicines and poisons. "Don't you wish you could change…how things turned out." He finished lamely.

"Yes, I do. Much as I did before I knew of the energy creature. Very little has changed."

To call her final statement an understatement, was an understatement. "Everything is different. You just found out that Jack the Ripper, the man who has haunted you for decades is not truly responsible for any of the crimes he was accused of committing."

"I never blamed John. His madness, yes but not him." He knew she was lying. Perhaps as a coping method, perhaps to stop him prodding. He was unable to examine it deeper as she continued. "I still seek a cure, if now with more direction, and my emotions are irrelevant, given that I have had one hundred years to examine and control them in respect to John Druitt." Another big fat lie. Not that he could accuse her outright, being very fond of his job, but he couldn't let it slide either. But, before he could call attention to his profession as a psychologist, and the innate ability to tell when someone was uttering such falsehoods. She packed up her tools, and departed the room with a soft goodbye.

Yes, she had appeared very helpful, answering all of his questions. But she answered them perfectly, with no thought or hesitance, and without a trace of emotion. She was a pathetic actor, reciting from memory her lines, in a monotone, with a noticeable lack of expression or actions, and hoping the audience wouldn't notice and just carry on watching the play.

As always, when it came to true emotions, she was stonewalling him.


End file.
